Posted on 03/09/2010 9:27:58 AM PST by Theo
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
I have a problem with that: I think Humpty Dumpty was pushed!
Of all the people I know, in an effort to find some semblance of reality about what really happened, I am the only one who has talked to both sides – Dr. James Dobson and Jim Daly, the new president of Focus on the Family who also represents the board.
I think that Focus does have a new focus; an image change designed to make them accepted and well-liked rather than standing for righteousness in an unrighteous society.
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(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
Dr. Dobson proposed 7 years ago that he begin the process of transferring leadership of Focus on the Family to others. This was a wise and gracious thing to do, and ensured that Focus on the Family would continue as a ministry to families after his death. To say that the board of directors dishonored Dr. Dobson by giving him the boot is a gross and irresponsible misrepresentation.
Pastor Hutcherson wrote that he is "the only one who has talked to both sides -- Dr. James Dobson and Jim Daly, the new president of Focus on the Family." That's just not true; lots of people have talked to "both sides." And if it were true, why does he not report what he learned from his conversations? Instead, he simply demeans Focus leadership without providing any facts.
Pastor Hutcherson wrote that the Super Bowl commercial "said nothing." No, it said a lot, and has resulted in women changing their minds about abortions, and people coming to a new appreciation for the ministry of Focus on the Family.
Pastor Hutcherson wrote, "I am not very happy with the new, progressive, 'loving' leadership at Focus on the Family." Huh? "Progressive"? What's that mean?
Pastor Hutcherson wrote that the name of the daily radio program has been "the James Dobson radio program, not the Focus on the Family radio program." Not true. The daily broadcast is indeed called "Focus on the Family," and has been for decades.
Pastor Hutcherson concluded that "We are called to be the salt of the earth, a beacon, and we are warned not to hide our light under a bushel. Focus on the Family's light is not only under a bushel, it's under a cloud." Huh? Focus on the Family is not ashamed of the gospel, or of its power to change lives.
I'm puzzled that Pastor Hutcherson wrote this ignorant diatribe, and disappointed that WorldNetDaily has published it and promoted it in their latest newsletter.
There has been a problem with Focus for years now. I have no views about the circumstances of Dobson’s departure, but it is clear that in recent years Focus has had the problem that Hutcherson described.
I am saying this from personal experience and the experience of people I know who have dealt with Focus.
I am glad to hear that Dobson is starting a new radio program.
Thank you for joining the conversation.
You wrote that “it is clear that in recent years Focus has had the problem that Hutcherson described.”
In all sincerity, could you provide a few specific examples? I know folks at Focus on the Family, and would love to pass your information along to them.
Well if everything is just hunky-dorey, why is James Dobson having to start his own radio program?
LOL. What a humble guy. How petty.
Talking to people at Focus will accomplish nothing. If that were so, we would have resolved some issues with them long ago. FYI, however, Focus is paralyzed, for example, on the education issue because of the public school tares in the organization. Dobson himself a few years ago was very good on the need to get children out of government schools. His sound position, however, upset many of the people who worked at Focus and who wanted to believe that rendering your children to Caesar in Colorado Springs is just fine. Consequently, Focus is now effectively educationally antinomian. Focus’s approach to dealing with the issue of the homosexual lifestyle is questionable - trending toward trying to be seen to be “nice” and sensitive rather than standing firm on biblical truth.
Obviously, you have a more positive view of Focus, but I agree with Hutcherson that the Super Bowl ad was a travesty and that it is a reflection of a deeper problem.
Unless you knew the back-story, the Super Bowl ad did say nothing.
Dr. Dobson chose to begin the process of leaving Focus on the Family 7 years ago. He did not want the ministry to fail after his death, and so he began to loosen the reigns to other godly men and women. He stepped down from the Presidency, and then withdrew from the Board, and now withdrew from the radio program.
Dr. Dobson isn’t really starting a new radio program. His son Ryan has had a talk show for a while now, and Dr. Dobson is joining him. The program is now called “Family Time” — and features Dr. Dobson and his son. It’s not simply a re-do of “Focus on the Family” radio program, but is something with a distinct father-son personality.
Dr. Dobson has affirmed his departure, and said many times that though it is difficult to leave a ministry he founded 33 years ago, he believes it is the Lord’s ministry and that it is the Lord’s will that now is the time for him to move on.
Your question is valid, GLDNGUN. There are also valid answers.
I appreciate your reply.
I’m just not seeing what you’re saying, though. Focus on the Family is strongly pro-homeschooling. Here’s one set of articles published by Focus, for example:
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/schooling/effective_home_schooling.aspx
Dr. Dobson said here — http://family.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/family.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=822 — that “If Shirley and I were raising our children again, we would home school them at least for the first few years!” He, and the rest of Focus on the Family, strongly affirm homeschooling.
Regarding Focus on the Family’s approach on the homosexual lifestyle. They were criticized for giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend traditional marriage — how is that an indication that Focus is becoming weak in that area?
The Super Bowl ad was aimed at mothers, to encourage them to choose life. It was not a “political” ad meant to score political points. It has proven effective.
Yes, I know the back-story, and I have seen the testimonies pour in to Focus on the Family. The Super Bowl ad was not political, and did not score political points. But it has yielded beautiful fruit in the lives of mothers who have chosen to keep their children, and in the lives of hurting people who have visited FocusOnTheFamily.com for the first time and watched their videos and read their articles.
Well, since I don’t know what your affiliation with Focus on the Family is, I’ll have to take your word for it. But it surprises me that the ad produced results, for it said absolutely nothing.
It “said” that life is valuable, and it provided the URL to FocusOnTheFamily.com — that was sufficient to move many hearts.
You can be supportive of homeschooling and still be an educational antinomian. The issue isn’t what the position is on homeschooling, the issue is what the position is on having Christian children disciplined in an aggressively anti-Christian government school system. As I indicated, Dobson has been good on this issue in public and in private. Focus has not.
The people that I know who were involved with the marriage issue in California believed that Focus was far too willing to be “moderate” in the marriage battles that have been fought there. So, yes, you can put money into a cause and still not be a principled champion of that cause.
As for the ad, while it might have seemed clever to marketing people, it certainly created the impression that Focus was ashamed of the Gospel. The “life” message isn’t political.
“I think that Focus does have a new focus; an image change designed to make them accepted and well-liked rather than standing for righteousness in an unrighteous society.”
I think they got the idea from the GOP....didn’t work out too good for them as I recall.
I’m giving you my opinion. Do with it as you wish.
If “rather than standing for righteousness in an unrighteous society” means FOF is engaging hurting individuals more than politicians, then I suppose that could be an accurate statement.
Focus on the Family is moving politics off of center stage, and making an effort to serve parents and others. That’s not weakness or wishy-washiness, but simply a return to the focus on the ministry the Lord brought about 33 years ago. They still are involved in the political realm, just not as much.
I do appreciate your opinion. And I’m providing facts to inform your opinion. That’s the great thing about a conservative forum like FR — we deal in information not found elsewhere.
The problem is, the radicals are steamrolling Christianity, and to pretend that we can go about our own lives and leave the political fight to others is to assure that our children’s lives will be LESS free and prosperous. As well, weak-kneed Christians may live to see their progeny viciously persecuted, right here in America. Remember the Wellstone funerals? These are the rabid haters we are dealing with, like it or not. Bob
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